The Cirerol Family
Phoenix, AZ
As a teen mom, Yuri Cirerol took on responsibility at a young age and has remained dedicated to giving her children opportunities to thrive in life. Today, Yuri and her husband Aaron are the hardworking parents of four sons ranging in age from eight to 21 years old – three of whom have benefitted from AAA Scholarships.
Originally from Mexico, Yuri relocated with her family to Arizona when she was nine years old. While the move provided hope for expanded opportunities, Yuri struggled with the transition and there were limited resources available at the time. She had her first two sons – Christian and Jacob (now 21 and 18) – when she was a teenager and spent the next five years raising them as a single mom until she met Aaron, who would eventually become her husband and take on the role as a father to her sons. The couple later welcomed two more children – Isaak (14) and Elijaah (8).
The family was first introduced to the AAA Scholarship Foundation (AAA) when their oldest son Christian was in middle school. The public school he was attending at the time was not providing him with a positive environment, one where he could grow and be surrounded by peers with similar goals and values. During this time, the Cirerols had found a community for their family at Saint Jerome Catholic Church in Phoenix and learned about the school connected to the church – Saint Jerome Catholic School.
“It was actually Christian’s idea for us to look into switching him to Saint Jerome Catholic School,” recalls Yuri. “The hurdle for us was being able to afford the tuition.”
The couple works hard to support their family of six: Aaron as an electrician and Yuri as an assembler in a local factory. Without financial assistance, fitting the school tuition into their budget was out of reach. However, a AAA Scholarship helped to bridge the gap and they were able to send Christian to Saint Jerome, where the small environment and close-knit community helped to set him up for future success. He graduated from 8th grade at Saint Jerome and continued to a local high school to complete his diploma. Today, he is following in Aaron’s footsteps, working as an electrician and leading his own crew.
Seeing the impact that Saint Jerome had on Christian, the Cirerols opted to send Isaak and Elijaah to the school, also with the help from AAA Scholarships. Isaak is now in the 8th grade at Saint Jerome, where he will graduate in the Spring of 2024 and continue to Bourgade Catholic High School. With a love for science, he is considering pursuing a career as a surgeon in the future. He has also been very active in sports at the school – especially basketball – and is involved in other activities, including serving as a class representative on the student council. As a result of his hard work, he has become an honor roll student and even received a sports leadership award.
Elijaah has also found his place at Saint Jerome, where he is making all A’s and B’s in his second grade class, earning him a spot on the honor roll. He also loves playing sports and may join one of the athletic programs offered at Saint Jerome when he is eligible.
For Yuri and Aaron, being able to give their children opportunities that they did not have is priceless.
“Growing up, I did not have many educational options,” says Yuri. “It is important to us that our children are able to get a good education that will benefit their future.”
AAA Scholarships have also provided them with peace of mind, especially when faced with unexpected circumstances. For example, when Yuri’s unreliable car was jeopardizing her ability to get to and from work, they did not have to choose between affording tuition and getting a car, which would have had a tremendous impact on their finances.
“When you don’t come from a wealthy family or you are not in the best financial situation, your options are limited,” says Yuri. “AAA Scholarships removed that financial barrier and as a result our children are receiving an outstanding education and experiences that will last a lifetime. Our most sincere appreciation goes to all the donors who make this possible!”
About AAA Scholarship Foundation
AAA Scholarship Foundation promotes the advancement of education by administering educational choice programs. The typical AAA Scholarship student is an ethnic minority living with a struggling single parent/caregiver in a high crime community. More than 80 percent of these children are initially awarded AAA scholarships while living in households with annual incomes at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Many are either below grade level, failing at their previous school or both when they first receive a scholarship. Parents, who find their children in these circumstances and are concerned about their future, look for viable options. They seek an atmosphere that challenges their children and will reverse inadequate learning, social patterns and potential lifelong negative impacts. They wish to change their children’s learning environment, acquaintances and the unfortunate predictable outcomes associated with school failure.
AAA Scholarships are funded in Arizona, Florida, Georgia and Nevada by companies that redirect a portion of their state tax liability to the AAA Scholarship Foundation in exchange for a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. AAA Scholarship Foundation is one of the only 501(c)(3) nonprofit scholarship organizations approved to administer these legislatively-authorized tax credit scholarship programs in multiple states. AAA Scholarship Foundation provides your company with the convenience and efficiency of a single solution for participating in multiple state tax credit scholarship programs. For more information, or to learn how your company can participate in the program, visit www.AAAScholarships.org, or contact Kerri Vaughan at kerri @ aaascholarships.org or 888-707-2465 ext. 730.